Bore hole survey apparatus



Jan. 8, 1935. w. E. v. ABRAHAM 1,987,522

BORE HOLE SURVEYAPPARATUS Filed Sept. l0, 1931 Patented Jan. 8, 1935 4 nomi HOLE SURVEY APPARATUS William Ernest victor Abraham, Kunstring, Brit, .L C l isi; india, assigncr. te 'rireinirimanS o,- pany Limited, Glasgow', Scotland, a British v corporation f` Application kswteimber 10, 1931, serial No. 562,0214 i In Great Britain October L30, 1930 17 Claims. (Cl. 23d-145.3)y

Theobjectof this invention is a directional inthe surface of which floats a liquid such asyjoil. clinometer `of thefacidfbottle type for recordingl A bar magnetor"magnetic needle isdoatled in the directionaldeviation oa Lbore-hole from the the tplane ofthe acid-foilinterface bYSllSDSIiSing Vertical. it from a float of hemSpherica-l, spherioaLCYllr `5 The `ordinary acid-bottle inclinometer or inclidrical 'or other suitableshape. w'l'he bar magnet `5.

nation recorder only records the vangle of deviaisk coated or covered` lll/itilA yebonitei,iguttapencha tionof the bore-hole from the vertical-by the etchor seine V`other substance lys/hich will `pilotect the ing `of aline around the inside of the bottle. magnet from corrosion by the-acid. Applied toA The improved deviationrecording instrument, o'r carried by one pole of the ymagnet is a-.projectin addition to recording the angle of vdeviation ing member, which; may for instance vbefqni' 1 0 A fmmthefvertical by etching a line around the the said jmember beingmade ,pier coated inside of the bottle, :also includes a magnet and water-repelflant subs-tance which is` capabley of means whereby the position of the magnet is rebeing wetted by the oil but not bytlrie acid.Y For corded upon the bottle, -thusindicating'the directhis purpose a substance such as jerbolnite, Pfeftion of thedeviation of an inclined bore-hole, er,ablycoated with guttaperoha may beein-v 1 5'v provided -that magnetic disturbances other than ployed. To theotherpole ofthe magnet isvappli'edi thosezdue to the magnet and tothe earths magor, attached a larger projecting *n iember)y of fthe neicield can be ignored. same water-repellant substance; the said inemf 'The improved'deviation recording instrument berrbeingl of such-size and-shape thatfitfisfmore 20.. comprises an acid-.bottle or vessel of glass or other strongly repelledffrom the 'side of the b'ottleQtlin 20 suitable material adapted to be etched by an etch-l the smaller` projection carried at the other end ing liquid contained within the bottle, and the of the magnet.. lThe larger member may fr'ezfV inv'entionconsists in floating. a magnet in the ample bein the form .of abroad curved piece (ci plane-of an interface formed between the etching a isubstancegsuch as ebonite, preferably coated 2lir liquid and a supernatant liquid and in applying with gutta-,percha and curved toaradiusfappri'z- 25 to Vone pole of the magnet a polar `element which ima-tely vequal to the radius of the internal lat` is capable of fdeforming the trace ofthe 'liquid eralqsurface of thebottle.

interface :at the side of the vessel. For this pur- In operation, the srnallerprojlection or member pose the polar element and the liquids areof'suoh is propelled towards the side'of'thebottle ya'iidde- 80g a nature .that the polar element has the property formsfthe Vtrace ofthe acid-oil interface at this. 30

of being more readily -Wetted by one or" the liquids point; thus `forming a.` slight depression in the than by the other liquid, so that a iilm of one of the trace ,of 4the acida-oil interface,fwhich depression liquids adheres more readily to `the polar element is etched on the Yside .of the bottle by. theaci'd. l thandoes the other liquid, andthus produces al quantitylof oil, on `the surface of, the 'acid deformation in 'the Yedge of the liquid interface. shouldbegsu-iiicient lto allowfthe [projections lor 35 The polar elementis preferably made of a sub-V members carried by the magnet to" float in the stance which is capable of being more easily planeet the ,acid-eil interface, fafllll's'tltdl. i111 wetted by the supernatant liquid than by the etchthe accompany-ing `I gsw 1,* f1, @13d '5- /Weif the ing liquid, and the invention urthermOre'cOnmaghetto floatonthe single yacid-li'gliiid,,tl'iejzpro- 40; sists in propelling said `polar element towards the jectionor members would Alie belWthSlilfCe' 40 side of the bottle by the repellant action between thereof ,Theaddition ofthe secohd'supinat'at the bottle .side and an elementcarried by the opeA liquidincreases `the buoyancyfforcelertedupon posite'magnet pole. In this manner the polar the maghetto .raise the .projections carried'there.- element propelled towards .the side of the bottle by so thattliey lintersect the/.interface 'at' or near deforme the trace of the liquid interface and thisl their greatesthorizontal dimensioni, Norgr'eaterf 45 deformation is etched on the bottle by the etching accuracy in determining the quantity-bf oil isA "rei-' liquid, thus producinga permanent record on the quired. n f bottle in the form of a deformation of the line I f desireduthelsmaller rnembercarriedubythe etched around the inside of the bottle bythe etch-3 magnet maybe so shaped as to produce a more ing liquid. defined,or,Vgshapedrdepressionin they 'trac'efof 50 In .one manner of carrying out the invention, theracid-oil interface, To'thiseiidit preferred the acid bottle of glass, contained in a pressuretojemploy a strip of eboniteor like eriallaf` resistant `water-.tight nonemagnetic shell or outer nxedina vertical positiontotheend yfrtlife magcasing., contains anzaqueous solutionk of .hydronet. The strip is preferably coni/etiI o its face' 5a luoric acid orv otherjsuitableetching liquid, upon adjacenttoizh-:Lvessel.Avi .Inlordergtopiesistj,the 55` n tendency of the etching liquid to creep up the polar elements or members, it is preferred to form transverse ribs or grooves across the faces of both members.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the manner in which `the invention may be carried into effect, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the specific construction 'hereinafter described, which is given only as an example.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View ofan. acid bottle in accordance with the instant invention; Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional rviewshowing the float and magnet in plan, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the fioat and` magnet.

Fig. 4 is a side view showing the form of the line etched on the bottle.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing the preferred shape of the polar elements of the magnet, Fig. 5 showing the magnet within a spherical walled portion of a bottle. i

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a bottle havingmeans for raising the acid-oil interface after a'deviation has been recorded.

Referring to the drawing, the acid bottle 12, whichmay be convenientlyl made of glass, is closed by a cap 15 and contains an etching liquid in its lower portion 26 and upon the etching liquid floats a layer of oil 27. A bar magnet 28 is secured in'any suitable manner to the underside of a iioat 29 which may be of any suitable size and shape, provided that it is sufficient to ymaintain the magnet in the plane of thev acidoil interface 30. The magnet is provided with a protective covering 3,1 of a suitable substance such as ebonite preferably coated with guttapercha to protect it from the corrosive action of the etching liquid. At one end of the magnet is a non-magnetic pole piece or member 32 which is also preferably of ebonite coated with guttapercha or a similar caoutchouc-like substance which is water repellant and acid resistant, but is capable of being wetted by the oil. The member 32 may be globular as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 or it may be of any 4desired shape. When the member 32 is propelled towards the side of the vessel, the film of oil adhering thereto slightly depresses the trace of the acid-oil interface 30 as shown at A in Fig. 5 and since the magnet is free to rotate in the ac id bottle, the deformation in the line etched on the bottle by the etching liquid affords an indication of the directional deviation of the bore-hole from the vertical.

The other end of the magnet carries a larger non-magnetic pole'piece or member 33 which is conveniently in the formof an annular segment having its centre of curvature at the centre of the magnet and presenting a broad surface to the side of the acid bottle of such dimensions as to cause the magnet to be propelled towards the side of the bottle adjacent the member 32.

The members 32 and 33 may conveniently be integral with the ebonite or like covering 31 by moulding the gutta-percha on the magnet, or the members may be separately attached to the magnet. The pole/pieces 32 and 33 may be of the same or dierent materials, provided they/are acid-resistant and provided thatthe pole piece 32 is also capable of being wetted by the oil.

Figs. 5 and 6 show pole pieces of modified shape designed to produce a more defined depression in the acidoil interface.` It will be seen that the pole pieces4 in this case are transversely ribbed or-corrugated.

The ebonite pole pieces may be coated'with a thin lm of gutta-percha deposited from a carbon disulphide solution. 'Ihe transverse ribs or furrows on the faces of the pole pieces resist the tendency of the etching liquid to creep up the gutta-percha zcoating of the ebonite pole piece, thus making' 'a more defined depression in the acid-oil interface. y

When the above-described instrument is employed in bore holes with a relatively large deviation from the vertical, the increase in the length of the major axis of the elliptical acid-oil interface may become too great to allow of suf- Yiicient repellant action between a cylindrical acid-bottle and the member 33 and in order to overcome this defect for large angles of deviation (such as might conceivably be encountered in bore holes in mines or in intentionally deviated holes) the cylindrical acid bottle may be replaced as shown in Fig. 5 by a bottle having a spherical portion 12a in which the acid-oil interface may be centrally or approximately centrally arranged, the members 32 and 33 being of convex form to approximate to the spherical inner surface of the bottle.

The instrument can also be adapted for recording deviations at two or more different levels. In a bore-hole in which the angle of deviation varies essentially at different depths, successive records may be recognized by changing the intensity of the etch at different depths. This may be effected by altering the time allowed for etching at the different depths. means may be provided for varying the level of the acid-oil interface after a deviation has beenrecorded at any predetermined depth. As an example of one manner of raising the level of the acid oil interface, reference is made to Fig.

7 which diagrammatically illustrates a bottle 12 provided with a yielding trap-door 34 in the bottom of a hollow stopper 15vcontaining lead shot 35, which can be admitted to the bottle through the trap-door 34 by so selecting the closing means for the trap-door that the door will yield and a number of the lead shot will fall into the bottle when the instrument is given a sudden pull upwards. By suitably designing the opening and trap-door therefor', the spring, and the size of the shot, several discharges of the shot in the' vessel may be effected before the whole quantity is at the bottom of the vessel. Thereby two or more different levels of the etching liquid are obtained.

The term water repellan used above and inY the claims refers to the repelling characteristics of the polar members to the etching liquid which is an aqueous solution of an acid, such as hydrofluoric acid.

1. In a bore hole survey apparatus, a bottle, an etching liquid in said bottle, a magnetic needle fioating upon the etching liquid within the bottle, means associated with the needle for producirig local deformation of the surface edge of the etching liquid, and means for raising the surface level of the etching liquid by successive volumetric displacement While the bottle is in the bore hole. i

2. A bore hole survey apparatus comprising, in combination, a glass vessel containing two im miscible liquids only one of which has etching properties, a magnetic needle, means for floating said needle in the liquid interface, a polar element attached to one end of said needle, adapted to produce a clearly defined local deformation of the edge of the liquid interface, and a mem.-l

Alternatively,r`

ber -attached to the other end of said needle, adapted to be repelled away from the adjacent Wallfof y'thefglass' vessel, saidL member being :of broad'curved shape with its center of curvature near the center of the needle.

f3. In abore hole survey apparatus, a bottle, an Ve'tchingliq'uid in said bottle, a magnctic'needle floating upon the etching liquid within the bottle,=-andl` means associated with one pole of said needle adapted to produce a deformation in the surface edge of the etching liquid in the region of 4said pole.

4. In a' bore hole survey apparatus of the character'described, a polarelement carried by one endof a magnetic needle suspended in the interface between two liquids one ci' which is an etchingliquid and the other has no etching properties, said polar element being adapted to be more v'readily wetted by one of said liquids than bythe' other -to produce a deformation in the edge'of said interface in the region of said polar element.

` 5.' fin-inclination recorder for use in bore holes comprisingk a container, an inclination indicating surface in said container, a liquid in said ccntaine'r-in-contactwith said surface for effecting a marking record thereon of the inclination of the bore hole from the perpendicular, and means for changing the level oi the liquid oy successive volumetric displacements While the container is within the bore hole.

6. An inclination recorder of the acid bottle type for use in bore holes comprising a glass vessel, an etching liquid in said vessel, and means for changing the surface level of the etching liquid by successive volumetric displacements while the vessel is within the bore hole.

'7. An inclination recorder of the acid bottle type for use in bore holes comprising a glass vessel, an etching liquid in said vessel, and means for raising the surface level of the etching liquid by successive volumetric displacements while the vessel is within the bore hole, said lastmentioned means comprising a hollow stopper for said vessel having a, resiliently retained bottom therein, and solid elements resting on said bottom, adapted to be dropped into said vessel in successive increments by a jarring of the vessel to effect a volumetric displacement of the liquid therein.

8. In a bore hole survey apparatus, a vessel, a recording surface in said vessel, a liquid in said vessel for marking on said recording surface the inclination of the borehole from the perpendicular, a direction indicating device adapted to assume a definite orientation with respect to the magnetic field of the earth, said device comprising a magnet, members repellent to said liquid in fixed relation to said magnet opposite each other, and buoyant means for floating said magnet and said members in said liquid, one of said lmembers adapted to impel the other one into a recording position in relationto said recording surface, and the member impelled into a recording position being adapted to cause a deformation in the surface trace of said liquid on said recording surface to mark the orientation of said recording surface with respect to said device.

9. In a bore hole survey apparatus, an etchable member, an etching liquid cooperating with said member for marking thereon the deviation of the bore hole from the perpendicular, and means cooperating with said etching liquid for simultaneously recording the `direction of `V.the deviation 'by the same etchingY process.

v10. A bore hole survey yapparatus comprising' avessel, a'recording surface in said vessel, abody of liquid in said vessel for effecting a marking record on said surface, a direction indicating device adapted to float in said liquid designed to assume a definite orientation with respect to the magnetic field of the earth comprising a magnet, members repellent. to saidliquid in fixed relation to said magnet opposite each other, one of vsaid membersadapted to cause a deformation in the surface trace yof said liquid on said recording surface, and the other ofzsaid members adapted to impel said, first-mentioned member into -a recording position. l I

l1. A borehole survey apparatuscomprising a container and an etchable surface therein, a body of acid in said container having its upper surface intersecting said etchable surface, a body of oil floating on'said body of acid, a direction indicating device comprising amagnet-assuming a definite orientationwith respect to the mag netic field of .the earthl and adapted to float in said .liquids in said container,.members repellent to said acid'in fixedrelation to said magnet opposite each other, and buoyant means for supporting said magnet and members so that one of said members lies partly in the acid and partly in the oil, the other of said members being so designed as to impel said rst-mentioned member closely adjacent said etchable surface in said container whereby the trace of the acid on the said etchable surface is deformed at that portion, to record the orientation of said etchable surface with respect to said direction indicating device.

l2. A bore hole survey apparatus comprising a vessel, an etching liquid in said vessel adapted to produce an etched inclination indicating mark. on the inside wall thereof, a su ernatant liquid resting on said etching liquid, a direction indicating device adapted to float in said liquids, said device comprising a magnet and a member repellent to said etching liquid in fixed relation to said magnet, said member adapted to fioat partly within one liquid and partly within the other at the edge of the interface between said liquids and to produce a deformation in the trace of said interface to indicate the directionof inclination.

13. In a bore hole survey apparatus, a vessel, a liquid therein for recording on the interior thereof thetrace of the upper surface of said liquid, a supernatant body of liquid of a different character resting on said liquid, a device comprising a magnet and two members repellent to said first liquid in xed relation to said magnet and opposite each other, said device being suspended in the two liquids so that both of the members lie partly in one liquid and partly in the other intersecting the interface between the two liquids, and each member is repelled away from the inside wallr of the vessel, one of said members being larger than the other to cause the device to be repelled further from the side of the vessel adjacent the larger of said members and to cause the second and smaller of said members to approach close to the side of the vessel adjacent it so as to produce a deformation of the trace of the interface at the respective wall portion, said deformation being also recorded on the interior of the vessel by said rst liquid.

14. In a bore hole survey apparatus, a glass vessel, an etching liquid and a supernatant layer lib of oil in said vessel, a floating direction indicating device comprising a magnet and a member in fixed relation to said magnet adapted to float in said vessel and to intersect the interface between said etching liquid and oil, the surface of said member` being adapted to be more easily wetted by the oil than by the etching liquid and adapted to cause local deformation of the edge of said interface.

15. In a bore hole survey apparatus, a glass vessel, two immiscible liquids therein, only one of which has etching properties, a magnet and a member attached thereto, means for floating said magnet and member, means for impelling said member towards the wallk of said vessel, said member having a surface which is more easily wetted by one than by the other of the two liquids and positioned to iioat partly in one liquid and partly in the other, thus causing a local deformation in the trace of the interface between the two liquids, and means on said surface to resist the tendency of the etching liquid to creep alongit and to thus preserve a maximum deformation in the trace of the liquid interface.

16. The combination claimed in claim 15 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a 17. In a bore hole survey apparatus, a Vessel,

a spherically shaped recording surface in said vessel, a liquid in said vessel in contact with said surface for marking on said recording surface the inclination of the bore hole from the perpendicular, a direction indicating device in said vessel adapted to assume a denite orientation with respect to the magnetic field of the earth, said device comprising a magnet, members repellent to said liquid in fixed relation to said magnet opposite each other, each of said members'having a curved surface substantially parallel to the spherically shaped recording surface, and buoyant means for floating-said magnet and members in said liquid, one o f said members being adapted to impel the other one into a recording position in relation to said recording surface, and the member impelled into a recording position being adapted to cause a deformation in the surface trace of said liquid on said recording surface to mark the orientation of said recording surface with respect to said device.

WILLIAM ERNEST VICTOR ABRAHAM. 

